Reward: Sea Hag's Alchemy

Aurora immediately understood Rhine's hint—

She had actually given the answer once before the Sea Hag even asked the last question! That answer was...

"Love," Aurora said, "The answer is love, right? Uh, human love for mermaids!"

This was the answer she had given just minutes ago to the first question!

Of course, the answer to the first question was "Immortal Soul," so it was a wrong answer.

Rhine smiled:

"Exactly.

"The arrangement of fate is so ingenious that the wrong answer to the first question is precisely the right answer to the last.

"Oh, learned Sea Witch, my friend had already given the correct answer before you even asked! Is this not also an indication of fate?"

Rhine knew that in such a fantastical magical world, fate was not an ethereal thing, but something that truly existed.

He had personally bestowed a Blessing upon Aurora, burdening the girl with the prophecy of "defeating the Black Witch."

Although this prophecy could not be automatically fulfilled, fate would always create bizarre coincidences to try to bring about this outcome!

During the Q&A session for the first question, they had actually answered two questions at the same time!

Ariel also helped her new friend from the side: "Yes, yes. My grandmother just told me not long ago that although mermaids do not have an Immortal Soul, as long as a human loves you, they can give you one. And at the same time, the human's own soul remains immortal."

She said these words with a smile.

The Sea Hag was stunned.

After a moment, she laughed loudly:

"So that's how it is. The method for non-human creatures to obtain an Immortal Soul is so simple, yet so difficult as to be almost impossible!"

When the Sea Hag mentioned "difficult as to be almost impossible," Ariel's expression flickered almost imperceptibly.

At this moment, Rhine felt that fiery, scorching energy rush in rapidly, pouring into his soul, causing his magic power to rise a little more.

The wish had been fulfilled! Although Aurora nominally gave the answer, the one who essentially answered the question and unraveled the Sea Hag's knot was actually him, the Magician.

Another child of fate's wish has been fulfilled. I wonder what I'll get this time, Rhine anticipated the new power with great excitement.

Vast knowledge like the ocean poured into his mind, directly imprinted in his memory and soul.

It was knowledge of alchemy, about how to use different materials to concoct magic potions. The Sea Hag's memories of concocting potions with strange materials flashed through his mind.

Sea Hag's Alchemy!

This time, the reward for fulfilling the wish was not a new spell.

Instead, it was a perfect copy of the Sea Hag's Alchemy, given to Rhine! Rhine would not forget that in the original story, the Sea Hag fulfilled the Little Mermaid's wish by concocting a magic potion that transformed her fishtail into human legs.

Concocting magic potions was clearly the Sea Witch's forte.

Now, he had also obtained the other party's alchemy expertise! Compared to Rhine's alchemy skills when he had just transmigrated as a Magician, the Sea Hag's knowledge of magic potions was undoubtedly much more profound.

However, the two sets of magic potion knowledge not only did not conflict, but could also complement each other's shortcomings and reinforce each other! Rhine realized that after integrating the two, he was already a magic potion master surpassing the Sea Hag.

It's really strange, this time the reward isn't a new spell manifested from the content of the wish.

Rhine was a little surprised, but he immediately understood the reason.

Previously, the objects of his wish fulfillment were many ordinary people, the King and Queen of the Rose Kingdom, the Magician Oz, and the Soldier who obtained The Tinderbox.

None of them had expertise that could amaze the world, nor did they have any other special features.

Therefore, the wish power manifested in its purest form, which was to materialize the "content of the wish itself."

If the child of fate making the wish had enough special characteristics, the reward for fulfilling the wish would be related to the wisher's traits, such as directly copying the other party's expertise and talent! This is too amazing.

Rhine couldn't help but marvel at the magic of his "Wish Magician" constitution.

He was increasingly looking forward to fulfilling the wishes of the next fairytale protagonist.

"Alright. Two humans, I don't know whether to praise your intelligence or your luck," the Sea Hag sighed. "You have answered my three questions. According to the agreement, I must tell you everything I know about Maleficent."

She plucked a strand of seaweed-like hair from her head, and scraped a bit of mucus from her pet toad with a dagger, crushed it in a mortar, and chanted an unintelligible incantation.

Soon, a bubble rose from the mortar. Strange images morphed on the surface of the bubble—they were patterns of memories.

"These are my memories of Maleficent. Just put the bubble on your brow, and you can read them," the Sea Hag said.

The bubble floated towards the large fish Rhine and Aurora were riding.

The large fish bit the bubble and swallowed it into its belly.

Inside the fish's belly, the two children picked up the rolling bubble as if they were picking up a ball.

Rhine tossed a gold coin and performed a simple divination. After confirming that this was the answer they wanted, he put the bubble away, not rushing to read this memory.

"Thank you, Sea Witch, for keeping your promise.

"According to our original agreement, the three questions were just the first reward, used to exchange for secrets about Black Witch Maleficent.

"Now, tell me, what is the second reward we must pay? This reward will be used to exchange for information about your Witch Coven."

Rhine believed that the second reward would probably not be as simple as "answering questions," so simple that it could be completed on the spot.

It might take a long time to achieve.

"Help me gain the recognition of the Sea Kingdom, Sea King Your Majesty, and other sea creatures!"

The Sea Hag revealed a self-deprecating expression:

"You know, in this Sea Kingdom, everyone regards me as a nightmare, avoids me, and tells terrible legends with me as the protagonist.

"However, I just did what every merchant would do—charge a fee for goods.

"I just delved into some Black Magic—even though I have never used them to kill any innocent person, I am treated as a monster to scare children.

"If you can help me gain the recognition of the entire Sea Kingdom, so that the mermaids in this sea no longer fear and dislike me, I will tell you everything about that Witch Coven!"

Rhine sighed softly, once again feeling the burning power of wishes from the Sea Hag.

In the original The Little Mermaid, this Sea Witch gathered all the elements of a "wicked Witch" in the traditional sense—ugly, weird, raising terrifying pets, living in a nightmarish bone house.

But she was an honest merchant, not an evil villain.

In this poem-like beautiful story, you can't even find a real "bad guy." Each character has their own kind side.

Of course, perhaps this image was too suitable to serve as a villain, and the story needed an enemy. In Disney's animated film adaptation of The Little Mermaid, this Sea Hag directly became the evil villain.

Aurora's eyes also showed pity.

She recalled the fear and disgust the mermaids showed when they mentioned the Sea Hag before, and she also felt a little sympathy for this Sea Witch.

"Sea Witch, this is not a task that can be accomplished overnight. If one day, my companion and I fulfill your wish, I will come back to redeem this answer."

The deal had been made, and the wish had been taken over.

When it will be achieved depends on the future.

After Rhine finished speaking, he pointed in Ariel's direction:

"Next, it's our friend, Mermaid Princess Ariel's turn to come to you to fulfill her wish."